Ethanol: What it Means to Put Corn in Our Tanks

August 19, 2008

An article in Grist looks at the exploding ethanol industry and the impact that dedicating more and more farmland to the production of fuel might have on climate change and food security. According to the article, the US Department of Agriculture expects 4.1 billion bushels of corn to be turned into liquid fuel this year. For some perspective, that amount is equivalent to 33% of the total corn harvest in the US; requires 26.4 million acres of US farmland; and represents 13% of all the corn grown in the world.
Read the article and then join in the enlightening discussion at the bottom.